Overview - Gurnee Fire Department

The fire department currently protects approximately 60,000 people in a 30 square mile area, with a daytime population in excess of 150,000. Areas protected by the fire department are divided between the Village and Fire Protection District, as well as the City of Park City, Illinois.

Although the daytime population remains fairly constant throughout the year, Six Flags (which is seasonal May-October) accounts for approximately 3,000,000 visitors a year. Tourism and employment throughout the Village of Gurnee account for the bulk of the remainder of our daytime population.

The department provides 24-hour fire and rescue services. All firefighters are also required to be licensed paramedics. The department headquarters is located at 4580 Old Grand Ave., with a second station located at 6581 Dada Dr.

The Village of Gurnee is currently ranked at a class 3 ISO (Insurance Services Offices) rating. (In Illinois, the Village of Gurnee ranks 3.7%; countrywide, 3.0%). The ISO ratings help to establish appropriate fire insurance premiums for residential and commercial properties. This is done by ranking a city's fire suppression abilities on a scale of 1 (best) to 10 (worst).

In calendar year 2012, the department responded to 5,454 calls, of which approximately one-third were fire and two-thirds were EMS based, including rescue calls, car accidents, and specialized rescues.

The department has five major divisions:

Fire Administration

Fire Prevention

Training and Information Services

Emergency Services

Support Services

The fire department is headed by the Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief, Administrative Officer, Fire Marshal, Training Officer, three Captains, and nine Lieutenants. The department has 36 full-time civil service FF/PM, 3 civilian inspectors, two chaplains, one secretary, and one intern. Our organizational chart has a breakdown of current employees and positions.

In addition to the day to day operations of firefighting, EMS, and training in both areas, the fire department is also proactively involved in Fire Prevention, Public Education, Gurnee Days, CPR and First Aid Training, and Specialized Rescue (including Dive Rescue, Hazardous Materials, High Angle, Confined Space, Trench, and Structural Collapse).